February's issue of GQ identified the "25 Coolest Athletes of All Time" - icons "who played the game like it was an extension of who they were and taught us how to be big-time with grace, style and swagger." Some of the choices - Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer, Michael Jordan and Julius "Dr. J" Erving - seemed like gimmes. Editors selected five gridiron stars: Tom Brady, Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, Joe Willie Namath and Ken Stabler.
An dubious omission: former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. With Super Bowl XLV only days away, we make the case that GQ erred by omitting the other Joe Cool, Golden Joe Montana.
Don't let the movie-star looks or the ease with which he operated on the field fool you. During his collegiate and professional career, Montana repeatedly proved wrong critics who doubted his NFL worthiness.
Montana led Notre Dame to the 1977 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title in a Cotton Bowl game in which the Irish trounced the heavily favored University of Texas 38-10 in what was essentially home game for the Longhorns. The following year, Montana - ill with the flu and taking intravenous fluids and chicken soup during the Cotton Bowl - and the Irish beat the University of Houston in the fabled "Chicken Soup game."
National Football League (NFL) scouts rated Montana in 1978 as above-average. The San Francisco 49ers selected Montana in the third round of the draft. The 49ers permitted journeyman quarterback Steve DeBerg take two seasons of beatings before permanently handing Montana the keys to the franchise in 1981. Montana sealed his place in post-season lore at Candlestick Park against the Dallas Cowboys with his off-balance touchdown pass to Dwight Clark. "The catch" sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl game. Passing for one touchdown and running for another, Montana led the 49ers to Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Three years later, Montana and the 49ers trounced Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX. Joe Cool captured his second Super Bowl MVP award.
In September 1986, Montana sustained a back injury and underwent a two-hour procedure to repair a herniated disc. Observing a narrowing in Montana's spinal column, surgeons recommended that he retire. Yet less two months after back surgery, Montana returned to the gridiron to replace injured 49er quarterback Mike Moroski in a contest with the St. Louis Cardinals at Candlestick. Launching a touchdown missile to wide receiver Jerry Rice, Montana "was jumped and crumpled by linebacker Charlie Baker," Sports Illustrated reported. 'Baker drew a personal foul for a late hit, but Montana brought back the breath of 59,172 spectators when he popped up clapping his hands." Montana later lay in the supine position after firing a subsequent 40-yard touchdown to Rice. After Montana returned to his feet, Cardinals defensive end Bubba Baker commented: "You're a helluva man."
Seeking an insurance policy at quarterback, the 49ers traded for Tampa Bay Buccaneer Steve Young the following year. Young played in eight games in 1987 and accrued a 120.8 passing rating. After Young appeared in 11 games, rumors swirled that the 49ers would deal away Montana. But Joe Cool cemented his starting role after leading San Francisco to the NFC playoffs in 1988. Throwing three touchdown passes against the Chicago Bears at Soldier field, Montana led the 49ers to Super Bowl XXIII. Cincinnati led San Francisco 16-13 with only 3:20 left on the game clock. The 49ers marched 92 yards down the field, and regained the lead with a Montana-to-John-Taylor touchdown with only 34 seconds left. Ever the cool operator, Montana reportedly spied comedian John Candy in the stands while maneuvering the club during the winning drive.
In 1990, Montana and the 49ers captured their fourth Super-Bowl triumph with a 55-10 pasting of John Elway and the Denver Broncos. Sports Illustrated rewarded Montana with its coveted "Sportsman of the Year" honors later that year.
Seeking the vaunted "three peat", the 49ers vied against the New York Giants during the hard-hitting 1991 NFC title game. The relentless Giants' defense hounded Montana and sacked the quarterback three times. The defining moment of the game occurred when Giants defensive end Leonard Marshall planted his helmet between Montana's shoulder blades. Suffering a bruised sternum and stomach, cracked ribs and a broken hand, Montana was replaced by heir apparent Steve Young. Montana missed the entire 1991 season with an elbow injury. When Montana returned to active-duty status in 1992, Young's success made Montana expendable. Seeing that their franchise quarterback no longer posed the same threat as he did three or four years earlier, the 49ers traded Montana and back-up Steve Bono to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Montana signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Chiefs. Wearing the #19 jersey - the number that he donned in Little League - Montana took the Chiefs to the 1994 American Football Conference (AFC) game. The Chiefs fell to the perennial Super Bowl bridesmaids, the Buffalo Bills. In 1993, Montana defeated Young and the 49ers 24-17 during the second week of the season. The Montana-led Chiefs prevailed over Elway and the Broncos 31-28 during an AFC West contest aired on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs fell to Marino and the Dolphins during a wild-card game. Montana announced his retirement from professional football in 1995.
Sportswriters elected Montana to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
It's hard to believe that GQ bypassed Montana in its list of the "25 coolest athletes of all time." The man won four Super Bowl rings - it isn't like he's a goofy rube like Terry Bradshaw. Montana's Joe Cool, for crying out loud. Brady, Brown and Namath are indisputable selections, so the dispute lies between Jackson and Stabler. Jackson played four NFL and four Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons; he was honored with selections to the NFL Pro Bowl and MLB All-Star game. Plus, Jackson starred in one of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time. Stabler won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, but he lacks the cool quality of Joe Cool.
Sorry, Snake. Regardless of what GQ says, Montana exceeds your cool quality.
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